Alabama

Avondale's Freshfully market opens an in-store cafe

Freshfully Cafe co-owner Jen Barnett opens a box delivered by Owls Hollow Farm to find cilantro, which was destined to be used in salsa. (Stan Diel/al.com)

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – The owners of Freshfully, the small supermarket that brought the eat-local concept to the Avondale neighborhood, have opened Freshfully Café, a restaurant whose menu is sourced from the market’s shelves.

The sandwiches-and-salads café, located inside the market at 200 41st Street South, had its soft-opening today, when about 40 customers braved the early afternoon rain.

“As we grew we realized we really needed to use all of our space,” said Jen Barnett, co-owner of both the market and the restaurant.

Barnett and co-owner Sam Brasseale begin applying for the necessary permits in December, and served their first meal eight months later, she said. The menu will vary with the produce available, said Barnett, who proclaimed “we’re going to make salsa!” as she opened a box of cilantro seconds after it was delivered by Owls Hollow Farm.

Everything on the cafe menu except bacon is sourced in Alabama, Barnett said. The bacon comes from Tennessee. (Stan Diel/al.com)

The café will be managed by restaurant industry veteran Sarah Thurmond, and will be open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The café’s hours may be expanded later, Barnett said.

The supermarket got its start in 2011 as a website meant to connect farmers with customers who wanted local produce, and opened as a bricks-and-mortar store in May of 2012.

Barnett and Brasseale were the winners of a contest held by their landlords, Hunter and Coby Lake, who offered the space rent-free for six months to whoever proposed the best concept for its use. The Lake brothers own Avondale Brewing Co., located across the street from the market, at 201 41st Street South.